Self locking containers



M. J. HERLIHY SELF LOCKING CONTAINERS Oct. 4 1960 2 Sheets-S eat 1 Filedec. 1, 195a INVE TOR.

MICHHEL J. HERLIHY BY 6' Ryan" A YT ZNEY Oct. 4, 1950 J. HERLIHY sawLOCKING CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1958 Axi 1 4.

INVENTOR. MICHHEL J. HERLIHY SELF LOCKING CONTAINERS Michael J. Herlihy,Middle Haddam Road, Portland, Conn.

Filed Dec. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 777,507

1 Elaim. (Cl. 229-34) This invention relates to improvements in shippingcartons or cases and is directed particularly to the provision of anovel carton especially adapted for repeated use.

I The carton or case may be shipped by a produce man for example, to itsdestination, the contents removed therefrom, and then returned to theproducer for refilling and reshipping. Economy is thus eflected andbecause of the special construction, the cases or boxes may be easilypiled upon one another when filled and while performing their carryingfunction, and may be easily stacked in a nested relation when empty insuch a way as to facilitate economical and safe return for use again.

A special feature of the invention is that the box is particularlycapable of permitting facile and eilicient shipment of such perishableand bulky articles as bunches of bananas, for instance. Such articlesare not only difficult to handle in transport but must be treated withconsiderable care and preferably ventilated to some extent.

According to the invention, there is provided a receptacle orcontainerdistinctively formed to efficiently accommodate a bunch or bunches ofbananas which, as is Well known, are of an irregular size and shape. Asspecial: features the receptacle is strengthened or reinforced at endsand edges so as to prevent collapse of the same and; toavoid possibleinjury to its contents. 1 V

The receptacle is formed with reinforced end openings so that it can beconveniently carried in a loaded condition.

As an important object of the invention there is provided a unitarybox-forming blank which may be delivered to the producer, grower orshipper in a flat condition, thereby saving space and expense inshipment, and which may be readily set up into shipping or containingposition by said producer or grower. The construction of said set-upcontainers being such that a plurality thereof may be nested, afterbeing emptied, so as to be economically and easily returned for theirreuse.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming -a material part of thisdisclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled carton embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on a reduced scale taken on line 22 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a flat blank employed in forming the carton ofFigs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of another flat blank embodying amodification of the invention. 7

Fig. 6 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of a reinforcing stripemployed on the receptacle.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a receptacle preferably formedfrom a unitary or single blank of fiberboard, cardboard, or corrugatedboard as it is commonly known. obviously vary, the sheet materialmentioned is especially suitable since it is economical, suificientlystrong, and bendable at desired places while at the same time notreadily distortable at places where such is not desired. In addition,the corrugated board may have a cellular structure which provides ashock-absorbing cushion to the contents of the carton.

The preferred form of the blank of the invention is indicated generallyby 20 and consists of a sheet of material cut to have a central panel 24which serves as the bottom wall of the box or case, and while preferablyrectangular, may obviously vary in shape and size. Extending outwardlyfrom opposite sides of the bottom wall are side walls 26 preferably ofequal size and shape as shown.

End wall members 30 which are preferably flaring, extend outwardly fromopposite end edges of the bottom wall. End flaps 32 are hinged toopposite ends of the side walls 26. As shown, the blank is cut at lines27 so that the parts 30 and 32 are not directly connected but arerelatively movable into adjacency in a manner to be explained.

. It will be noted that the members 30 taper or flare outwardly, thatis, their marginal edges extend in outwardly diverging relation fromtheir jointure on dotted lines 31 with bottom wall to a transverse line33. Beyond line 33 members 30 have inwardly tapered extensions 34 formedwith lateral outwardly extending wings or flaps 35. This structurepermits the receptacle when in set-up position to take the generaloutwardly flaring formation from bottom to top shown in Figs. 1 and 2.The outer blank portions 34 are each formed with a rectangular hole 36which may be considered to be a hand-hole. A rectangular U-shaped cut orslit 37 is formed in each of members 30 between lines 31 and 33 forforming a flap 39. This flap is adapted to fit into and through hole 36and serving as a reinforcement and hand grip when the flap is folded ondotted line 41.

The flaps 32 at each end of the blank are each provided with arectangular cutout 43 so that when the box is in a set-up position, thecut-out portions 43 coincide with the opening 36. The various portionsof the blank are relatively bendable on the bending lines represented bydotdash lines in Fig. 3.

Near the bending lines 45 in the side walls 26 are formed rectangularslots or holes 47 positioned so that the wings 35 on the end wallportions 34 fit into and extend through the holes 47 as shown in Figs. 1and 2.

The various parts of the blank from which the receptacle is preferablyformed having been described, the method of setting up the blank willnow be explained.

The side walls 26 are folded upwardly along the parallel lines 27 of thecenter panel 24, and the end walls 30 are turned to vertical positionsflaring outwardly at slightly greater than right angles to panel 24. Theend flaps 32 are then folded inwardly along the bending lines 45 to lieadjacent the end members 30. The members 30 and 32 at opposite ends ofthe receptacle are brought into overlapping relation and the parts ofthe blank are so formed, as shown, that the walls in the set-up positionare relatively fiat. The outer ends 32 of the members 32 are broughtinto substantial abutment inside the receptacle as shown in Fig. 2 witheach pair of flaps 32 in coplanar disposition.

It will be understood that the construction of the reeeptacle is thesame at each end thereof. In setting up the receptacle, the end flaps 32are folded into adjacency with the inner side of end wall 30. Then endwall portions 34 are folded inwardly on bending lines 33 and 33 tooverlie flaps 32 on the inside of the receptacle. This brings holes 36in registration with the cutouts 43 and Patented Oct. 4, 1960 While theparticular material employed may cut 37, so that flaps 39 can be foldedinwardly and upwardly through holes 36 to form hand grips and handholereinforcements as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Before end wall portion's34 are folded inwardly, a rectangular-shapedmetal strip 50 having a U-shaped cross section may be fitted over theupper free edges26 of side walls 26 and edges 32 of flaps 32. Thismaintains the rectangular configuration of theopen top of thereceptacle, and when the end wall portions are folded down there isprovided a triple thickness of material at the ends of the receptaclewhich reinforces the end wall structure.

The reinforcing strip50 may be formed from a single flat of metal bentinto rectangular form with a U-shaped cross section as shown in Fig, 6.

In Fig. 4 is shown one form of structure for the fiberboard; The boardincludes two fiat, smooth sheets 52 land 54 made of strong kraft paperwith a center core 56 shaped into corrugated form to define elongatedcells 58 between the core and the outer walls 52, 54.

' "In the form of the invention shown in Fig, 5, depending hook orextensions 58 are formed with wings 35. These books are adapted to lock.the wings in the holes 47 on the outer sides of the walls 26.

The extension of the wings 36 through the register-ing openings 47 makesunnecessary the use of supplementary stitching, stapling, adhesive orthe like for securingparts 30, 32 and 34 together. The triple-ply endwalls, composed of members 30 and 32, provide sturdy'reinforcement forthe receptacle and assure that the produce to be carried therein, suchas the stalk of a banana bunch, for example, will not puncture thereinforced edge wall when shifting endwise.

If desired, a suitable removable cover or closure may be provided forthe receptacle.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that'various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

A produce container formed from a unitary foldable blank offiberboard'adapted for setting up into a unitary receptacle having relativelytapering sides, comprising a substantially rectangular bottom wall, sidewall members extending outwardly from opposite longitudinal marginalside edges of said bottom wall, end flap members extending from oppositeend. edges of said side walls, end wall members separate from said endflaps extending from oppositeends of said bottom wall, said end wallmembers being provided with slits forming hand-grip flaps and with flapreceiving openings, said end flap members being providedwith'rectangular cutouts adapted to cooperate to form further flapreceiving openings, said end wall members having laterally extendingwings, said side walls having wing receiving openings, said side wallsbeing bendable relative to the horizontal bottom wall into substantiallyupright positions, the end flap members being bendable inwardly relativeto the side walls with said end wall members and end flap members atopposite ends-of the receptacle in overlapping position, the end wallmembers having inwardly tapered extensions foldable over the end flapmembers so that said flap receiving openings and cutouts are inregistration with said flaps being extended through the flap receivingopenings and cutouts and folded upwardly, said Wings being extendedthrough said wing receiving openings to prevent separation of saidextensions and end flap members, said wings having hook extensionsthereon for locking said wings onthe outer sides of said side walls, anda rectangular metal strip having a U-shaped cross section overlyingupper free edges of said side walls and said end flap membersandunderlying said end wall members.

, References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,426,783 McCormick Sept. 2, 1947 2,465,588 Hartman Mar. 29, 19492,762,554 Burman "Sept. 11, 1956 2,775,389 Weiner Dec. '25, 19562,778,560 Pfeifier Jan. 22, 1957 2,838,222 Papadopoulous June 10, 19582,917,220 1959 Bostock Dec. 15,

